Clinical Research

Cancer Care Institute

A Steadfast Commitment

Because cancer is an illness unlike any other, DMH established the DMH Cancer Care Institute. This Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program (COMP) coordinates and consolidates the many components of cancer care. Since its inception, the Cancer Care Institute has been a regional leader in treatment, diagnosis, and research.

Research - Detection - Treatment

Cancer Research
Decatur Memorial Hospital's Clinical Research Department is at the center of discovering, developing, and delivering state-of-the-art cancer treatments. Research spearheaded by Dr. James Wade III, Medical Director of DMH Cancer Care Institute, has made major contributions to the nationwide effort to eliminate cancer. In fact, patients no longer have to travel to major metropolitan areas to receive the most promising treatments.

DMH Offers the Future of Cancer Care
The next level of cancer care is a radiotherapy system capable of delivering IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy), which enhances dose concentrations, allowing treatment of smaller area and a greater chance of completely eradicating the tumor. Clinicians at DMH use the new SmartBeam IMRT system to carefully target tumor cells without harming surrounding healthy tissue. For more information on IMRT, call 876-4700.

The DMH Cancer Care Institute is a Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program (COMP) which is accredited by the American College of Surgeons (ACoS), Commission on Cancer (CoC). The ACoS Commission on Cancer Approvals Program is recognized by national health care organizations, including the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), as the measurement of performance for high quality cancer care.

The Approvals Program sets quality of care standards for cancer programs and reviews the programs to ensure they conform to those standards. Approval by the CoC is given only to those facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance. To maintain approval, facilities with CoC-Approved Cancer Programs must undergo an on-site review every three years.